Fish Out of Water
by WaywardTuesdays
Summary: After the League is called away to assess an emergency mission, the Team is tasked with retrieving an odd, glowing rock that appeared suddenly. However, with their trust in their leader still in shambles, the mission does not go as planned. As a result, Kaldur is flung into a world where strange sciences exist and a war is on the horizon. Not to mention, his odd new comrades.
1. Prolouge

"Team, report to debriefing. I have your next mission."

The tranquil feeling surrounding him broken, Kaldur closed his book. Looking around his small, usually unused room in the Cave, he lingered a bit on his bed before standing. Typically, he would sit and read in the living room with the Team, but as of late, his presence has been less than welcome by his friends. Because of this, he sought solace in his room where he could be away from all the hushed insults and glaring eyes. He knew it was cowardly, but he could not bring himself to face their scrutiny and untrusting gazes: not when Kaldur knew it was his fault.

Sighing, he walked towards the door, and before stepping out looked back at the window, which showed an amazing view of the open ocean. When the Cave was first refurbished, Wally and Robin immediately dragged him to this room. Kaldur was still grateful, but he now also felt a sharp pang of sadness, aware that he had hurt his friends.

' _Still, I am their leader. And that must take_ _priority.'_ Kaldur shook his head gently before stepping out the awaiting open door, and with heavy feet walked towards the mission room.

Entering the mission room, Aqualad kept his head high and trained on the mission board. Walking to his spot, he did not fail to notice the scrutinizing glares sent his way.

"Your mission is to search and recover the rock you see on screen. It landed about two days ago and seems to pulsate with energy. The League originally was sent out to retrieve it from the tundra, where it landed, however the team we sent was ambushed and the rock was stolen. Luckily, we have managed to figure out it's location, which is in a security base in a forest to the West of the Cave. Keep in mind there is a tunnel underwater you can use as an entryway. Your mission is only to search and recover the rock. Do not engage enemy forces."

Aqualad looked over the stone. **1** It seemed to be encased in a blue-white glow. There were two pictures of the strange rock presented. One showcased a large crater surrounding the oddity, while the second was significantly zoomed in. Although, the resolution was quite blurry, Kaldur could swear he saw strange engravings on the surface of the stone. **2**

Looking back at Batman, Aqualad gave him a small, affirmative nod.

"Team, you are dismissed. Aqualad, meet with me briefly."

Wally, who was standing next to him, let out a rude snort and forcefully bumped his shoulder against Kaldur's as he passed.

Aqualad sighed through his nose, but focused his attention on Batman.

"You wish to speak with me?"

"Yes. The League is currently handling an emergency mission. We require all hands on board. I need to know if you'll be able to handle your team on this mission and act as their leader, or if I should contact one of our outside members to come supervise." **3**

Aqualad internally winced, but otherwise remained impassive. "Trust in me, Batman. I will not let my feelings, nor those of my team, conflict with my ability to lead. You have my word."

Batman narrowed his eyes and, for a few seconds, said nothing. Seconds that felt like hours. Finally, Batman responded with, "You are dismissed."

Bowing his head slightly in respect, Aqualad hurried to board the bioship, its doors closing immediately after his entering.

 ** _(Time Skip)__**

The ride to the forest was, needless to say, tense. Aqualad shifted uncomfortably from his position in the corner. He was trying to avoid the angry glares (and growls) from Superboy, who was directly across from him. Poor M'gann had tried to make conversation, but soon stopped, realizing no one was really responding.

Kaldur closed his eyes and heavily leaned against the wall. If only he had the power to disappear, he would. All Aqualad could do was hope the ride would end soon.

It did.

Roughly ten minutes passed before Miss Martian stopped the bioship over a body of water.

"Drop Zone A ready to deploy."

Opening his eyes, Kaldur slipped his 'leader mask' on. Activating stealth mode, he took a moment to survey his team. Artemis and Robin didn't bother looking back at him, both of their faces a hardened mask. Wally was glancing at him from the corner of his eye. The only two who were directly looking at him were Superboy and Miss Martian, unsurprisingly, with anger and pity respectively.

Staring straight ahead, Aqualad pushed all his feelings down, sounding off a deep, stern "Ready."

And with that, he plummeted to the ocean below.

 **Whelp, that's the end of the first chapter. I know it was relatively uneventful, but things will pick up next chapter, which I'll also post today.**

 **In terms of timeline, this is set before the FMA:B storyline begins(Maes is still alive) and before the mission with Captain Marvel.**

 **1** **= The rock is small enough to be picked up but big enough to fit an entire average sized palm.**

 **2** **=Hmmmm..I wonder what those could be? ;)**

 **3** **=By 'outside members', he means those that are registered as Justice League but don't really hang around.**

 **I used the Young Justice episode "Drop-Zone" as reference for that last bit.** **Also, I used "1, 2, 3" as notes because it wouldn't let me add astericks for whatever reason.**

 **Please let me know what you think! I haven't written Young Justice fics in a while. If you have any questions be sure to post them and I'll do my best to answer them! Reviews, as well as follows/favorites, are very much appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 1: Breathless

Landing in the cool water almost felt therapeutic to his gills. Kaldur hadn't been able to spend as much time in water as he would have liked. But, now wasn't really the time to lay back and relax.

Glancing around the dark water **(1)** , he noticed the tunnel to the far left side of the forest's edge.

 _'Tunnel spotted, heading there no_ _w',_ Kaldur said over the mental link.

No one responded, leaving Kaldur feeling uneasy, but he knew it was just part of the silent treatment his team was giving him. They wouldn't really cut him out, right?

 ** _(Switch POVs)__**

M'gann felt awful. After Kaldur left the bioship, Superboy had abruptly spoken.

"Cut him out." **2**

M'gann blinked, confused. "What?"

Connor turned angry eyes onto her. "Cut him out of the mental link."

Miss Martian's eyes widened. "Superboy, no! That's dangerous! What if something happens to him! He's still our friend!"

"Nothing's going to happen to him. He's our fearless leader, remember?", Kid Flash mocked. "And, last time I checked, friends don't hide secrets from each other."

M'gann looked away, horrified. She could understand their anger, but this wasn't right.

"Just for a few minutes, Miss M. It'll help. Not hearing him for a while," Robin interjected. M'gann was about ready to disagree again, but she had noticed the soft tone in his voice.

Reluctantly, she agreed. "Fine, only for a few minutes."

Throughout this exchange, Artemis remained silent, opting to stare out the window with an unreadable expression.

 ** _(Switch POVs)__**

Kaldur was worried. He hadn't heard back from the team for a while now. And now that he thought about it, he couldn't feel their presence like he normally would.

Distracted and troubled, he failed to notice the large spike potruding from the side of the metal tunnel. And how fast he was swimming. That is, until his left arm came into contact with the obtrusion.

Grunting in pain, Kaldur curled into his stomach, grasping his injured arm protectively. The cut was deep and long, and from it, a cloud of blood erupted, leaking into Kaldur's clenched mouth.

Spitting the blood out, the best that he could considering that he was underwater, Kaldur uncurled and looked towards the tunnel. He hadn't noticed before, due to being distracted, but the inside of the tunnel was horribly warped; the metal seemed to fold into itself at times and more spikes littered the surface.

 _'How was this not discussed during the briefing?'_ Aqualad remained in place before slowly continuing, still grasping his slashed arm. His senses were on high alert. For some odd reason, the more he ventured into the tunnel, the more anxious he got.

Luckily, he didn't need to go too far before he reached the end. The tunnel led to a large collection of water inside the base.

 _'That is... weird.'_ Kaldur blinked, a little puzzled. Why would they have a tunnel with such easy acess to their base? Come to think of it, he hadn't heard any sounds from above since he arrived.

Extremely cautious, and more than a little perturbed, Kaldur swam up to the surface.Poking his head a tiny fraction above the water allowed him to see over the ledge.

 _'No guards..'_ Aqualad furrowed his eyebrows in confusion before stepping out of the water. Muffling a hiss of pain when his teared skin made contact with the cold concrete, Kaldur examined his surroundings.

It was a small, but tall space. It was two stories and had a doorway directly across from him. The door that should have been there was hanging to the side by only one of its hinges.

But that wasn't what unnerved him. No, it was the dried blood that poked out from the dark hallway that stretched out from the open doorway.

Kaldur felt a chill down his spine. Still, he had to carry out the mission.

And so, he began walking towards and through the hallway, pulling out his flashlight as he went. The first thing he noticed was the amount of blood that stained the flooring wasn't as much as he had anticipated; instead it had a very broken pattern. The second thing he discovered was the smell. It wasn't gross, but it wasn't pleasant. The smell had a very distinct..stale scent. Crinkling his nose, he carried on until a familiar voice resounded throughout his head.

 _'Aqualad! Can you hear me?'_ Upon hearing Miss Martian's voice, Kaldur heaved a heavy sigh of relief before answering. _'Yes, I can hear you. What can you report?'_ He opted for the leader response, rather than ask why the link hadn't been established earlier: he had his own sinking suspicion as to why.

 _'Drop-Zone B was a success. We sent Artemis and Kid Flash to scout the premises; there are no enemies present, strangely. However the only way into the base is guarded by a barrier we're struggling to break.'_ That certainly got his attention. This whole situation was incredibly confusing. Shaking away his doubts, he noticed no one else was answering.

 _'Miss Martian, why can I not hear the others?'_

Kaldur could feel her hesitation. His stomach dropped.

 _'They..requested not to be included while I contacted you. You don't have to worry though! We're in safe distance to each other and Robin activated our comunications devices.'_

A part of Kaldur was sad that his friends would act in such a manner. He forced it down, letting the other side of him surface. His 'leader' side, that was angry and disappointed in his team members for endangering the mission.

 _'I expected better.'_ Kaldur thought coldly, aware that M'gann couldhear.

 _'Our mission is priority. To let our emotions get in the way is not only unprofessional, but can prove counter productive as well. I am aware the Team may not think highly of me at the current moment, but I am still their leader and as such my task is to ensure the mission's success.'_

Anger coursing off of him, Aqualad continued in stride throughout the hallway, noticing the end was not far away.

 _'Connect them, Miss Martian. That is an **order.**_

 _'...okay. Connecting them now.' 'What the hell, M'gann?!'_

Superboy's angry voice shouted in his mind. Kaldur was fairly surprised he responded so soon, but decided that was not the right thing to focus on right now. Neither was his anger.

Taking a deep breath and pausing momentarily in his stride, he prepared himself to address the team.

He never got to.

 ** _(Switch POVs)__**

 _'Aqualad? Aqualad, respond!'_

 _'Miss M, what's going on?'_

She didn't know. Aqualad had been severed from her mental link by an unknown force. It felt as if a hand was applying pressure to her head. She had noticed it when she had first contacted him, but paid it no heed.

Barely remembering that Robin had asked her, she responded. _'I don't know. He's just...gone.'_

Although, she could still feel rage coming off of her teammates, Miss Martian also registered something else from them: concern.

 _'What do you mean he's gone?'_ Artemis questioned.

 _'I can't hear or feel him anymore! Something severed our connection!'_

 _'And this barrier isn't letting up either.'_ Wally practically growled.

 _'So, what do we do?'_ Superboy was still angry but his voiced was laced with concern.

 _'Our best bet is that tunnel underwater Aqualad entered through.'_ Robin theorized.

 _'Hate to break it to you Boy Wonder but we don't have gills.'_

 _'Come on KF, you're not old enough to have dementia.'_ Robin smirked, holding his rebreather in the air. **3**

 _'Me and Miss M will go under and check out what's wrong. You guys stay here and try to see if there's something we missed that can get rid of this barrier.'_

Not waiting for a response, Robin turned to Miss Martian.

 _'Let's go.'_

 ** _(Switch POVs)__**

Kaldur looked at the room before him in horrified amazement. There was a large circle etched on the floor with strange and foregin symbols. Blood was splattered everywhere: but the heaviest amount was located in the center of the circle.

Aqualad's eyes meandered over the circle to his objective. The stone was right there, atop a concrete pedestal glowing softly in a blue-white glow. The engravings on the surface of the jagged rock were similar to the ones on the floor.

Swallowing thickly, Kaldur'ahm walked cautiously around the circle towards the rock. The anxiety he had felt in the tunnel intensified with every step he took. His eyes were transfixed on the stone.

All thoughts of reprimand gone, he only vaugely noticed his connection to his team was severed upon entering the strange room.

Kaldur stopped short of the pedestal. His unease felt as if it would drown him where he stood.

Slowly, his hand reached for the stone. Just before his fingertips touched the surface, a shudder attacked his body. Blinking, Aqualad regained his composure.

Shoving all feelings of hesitation to the side, he curled his fingers over the stone, just as everything was engulfed by a bright blue light.

 **1= The deeper you go underwater, the darker it gets.**

 **2= I like Superboy, but he can act rash sometimes. Same with Wally and Robin. Plus, the whole team is hurt by what Kaldur did, even if it was the right thing.**

 **3=They're not too far from each other, in terms of distance.**

 **Next Chapter is going to be fun...**

 **Special thanks to Spartan of Chaos for favoriting!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**


	3. Chapter 2: First Impressions

**Ahhh! I'm so sorry for the long wait! Life can be a bitch sometimes. Author's note at the end.**

Maes Hughes was tired. He'd spent the past two days investigating the case of the former state certified 'Freezing Alchemist.'

The man had managed to evade the military's attempts to capture him and seemed to have gone back into hiding. Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes had been tasked with finding him.

Joy.

Cracking his neck, he stood up from his desk and looked out into the dark night sky. The only highlight from this week was that Roy-Boy was en route to Central and would arrive in a few days. Maes practically giggled in excitement at the prospect of meeting his best friend again- he had so many new pictures to show him!

Even though Hughes made sure to call everytime Elyssia did something amazing, which was everyday, it just didn't have the same effect as looking at the captured moment with your own eyes. Plus, Roy sometimes didn't answer. Maes couldn't fathom why.

Glancing over at the wall clock beside him, Hughes cursed slightly at the time. He had promised Gracia he would stop by the grocery store for some milk.

The store's closing time was in fifteen minutes.

The Lieutenant Colonel hurriedly closed the folder and packed it into his bag. Normally, he would leave it in the office, but something had caught his eye last minute.

Putting his military jacket on, he nearly sprinted down the hallway. Catching himself, Maes settled for a very fast walk. His definition of it, anyway.

He slammed open the doors to Central command, only barely catching the receptionist's "Goodnight, sir!"

"Goodnight!" Maes skipped down the steps and once he was at the bottom he broke out into a fullout sprint. **1**

Thankfully, the store wasn't too far.

He arrived just in time; the employees were about to close the doors. After apologizing to the workers, Maes paid for his milk and promptly left, content that he had held up his 'family man' responsibilities.

Walking on the sidewalk, gallon of milk in hand, he almost missed the unconcious body in the alleyway to his left. **2**

Keyword being almost.

 ** _(Switch POVs)_**

 _'That's impossible...'_

Robin and Miss Martian stared at the entrance to the tunnel in frustration and something akin to desperation.

At least, what should have been the entrance to the tunnel.

The metal was horribly twisted into itself, blocking anyone from entering.

Robin scanned the surface of the closed off entryway, noticing something peculiar. Holding a hand out in front of M'gann, who had been alerting the rest of the Team about what they had discovered, he swam closer to the warped metal. Once he was less than a foot away, he reached out his hand and trailed it over the odd markings that littered the edges of the tunnel. **3**

Activating his holographic computer **(4),** he took a quick snapshot of the markings, making a mental note to research them later.

 _'Superboy, I need you to come down and get this tunnel open. I'll meet you on land and give you my rebreather. Miss Martain, retrieve the bioship; I have a couple more rebreathers stocked inside. Artemis, KF remain on guard and come with Superboy.'_

 _'On it.'_ Superboy immediately took off in the direction of the water, Kid Flash and Artemis not too far behind.

Robin looked back at the twisted contraption before swimming up towards the surface, worry slithering around in his mind.

 ** _(Switch POVs)__**

Maes walked cautiously towards the crumpled form, senses on high alert. Putting the gallon of milk on the floor, about a foot away from his target, Hughes crouched, never letting his eyes stray.

 _'Male. Dark-Skinned. Late teens.'_ Maes' eyes trailed over the boy, taking special note of the odd eel like tattoos tracing his arms, as well as the long gash on his left limb, blood leaking lazily from the wound. Frowning, he looked up towards the boy's face, only to stop at his neck.

Three slits marked the boy's neck on both sides, flapping gently in the wind.

The first thought that came to his mind was that someone had slit this boy's throat, but that was quickly debunked by further observation. No blood was present around his neck and the skin didn't appear to be disrupted by them.

Unease settled in Hughes' stomach, as his mind came to a conclusion. _'Gills._ ' Could this boy be a chimera?

Maes Hughes was no alchemist, but he understood Alchemy at a basic level, and consequently, chimeras.

Scooting closer to the boy, Maes reached out a hand and felt for a pulse. It was certaintly there, albeit a little weak. Hughes furrowed his eyebrows when he noticed webbing between the teen's fingers, further cementing his earlier speculation.

Leaning back, Maes let out a heavy sigh. If the boy really is a chimera, which he probably is, protocol states he immediately notifiy Central Command. But, Maes couldn't help but feel conflicted. He knew what Central did to chimeras, and seeing that the kid had a more humanoid appearance than other reported instances, Hughes didn't doubt that the military would conduct an _'extensive study'_ on him.

Letting out a low groan, Maes shrugged off his jacket and draped it over the boy. Grabbing him gently, the Lieutanent Colonel managed to get the kid's right arm over his shoulders, allowing for Maes to support his body weight.

Grunting a bit from the added weight, which was surprisingly quite a bit, Hughes awkwardly kneeled to grab the gallon of milk left on the cement. Readjusting himself, he continued onward to his home, opting to take more secluded routes in order to lessen the chance of people seeing a military officer hauling an unconcious teenaged boy and a gallon of milk.

 ** _(Time Skip)__**

Maes was breathing quite heavily when he finally reached his door. Although young and lean, the kid was hefty, probably due to the amount of muscle on his body.

Shifting his 'burden' slightly, and dropping the milk, he fished around his pocket for his key, and, after finding it, jabbed the small thing into the keyhole, unlocking it quickly.

Once inside his home, Maes shut the door gently and leaned against it, catching his breath.

"Maes?" Gracia sat on the couch in her nightgown, a book propped open in her hand and a mug of tea on the table beside her.

Maes looked up at her, letting a smile slip onto his face. Even now, he sometimes couldn't believe that this radiant beauty before him was his.

And then, he was reminded of his little companion and his smile quickly turned into a sheepish grin.

"Guess I should explain, huh? Help me lay him on the guest bed first, though." Gracia nodded, a worried expression on her face. She stood and walked over to the nearby guest room and opened the door. Taking a deep breath, Maes straightened and followed Gracia to the through the doorway.

Once inside, Hughes quickly approached the bed, slipping the boy gently onto the soft blankets. When he was sure the kid was properly situated, Maes swiftly reached into his pocket and grabbed a pair of handcuffs. Not wasting any time, he handcuffed the kid's right hand to the wooden bedframe. Kid or not, Maes wasn't about to let a possibly dangerous stranger free in his house and around his family. **5**

Putting both of his hands on his hips, Maes let out a deep sigh and looked over at his wife. "I know you want an explanation," Maes began, "but the truth is I don't really have one. I found him unconcious and injured in an alleyway on my way home. His left arm has a pretty deep gash, from what I can tell. I don't yet know the 'why' or the 'how', or even the 'what' of the situation, but I intend to find out. Afterwards, based on my findings, I'll relocate him to Central Command. In the meantime, I'll keep watch over him and make sure he doesn't do anything...stupid."

Closing the distance between him and Gracia, Maes wrapped his arms around her in a strong, yet gentle hug. "I'll protect you both, so don't worry too much." Gracia's face smoothed into a soft smile, as she reciprocated the hug. "I know."

A few seconds passed, before Gracia broke the hug. Giving a small, sweet kiss to her husband, she soon left to check on her daughter and go to bed herself.

Maes gazed after her and sighed as he closed the door gently. Hauling a small chair from the desk in the corner of the room, Maes sat nearby his guest, right hand positioned over his throwing knives.

It was going to be a long night.

 **It's finally here! Man, this took so freaking long to finish! Not only was fate not on my side, but I kept running into things I didn't like. Even now I'm not 100% satisfied with it, but oh well.**

 **1=** **It was never truly clarified where the Hughes' actually live, other than the fact that they appear to be in some sort of apartment complex. So, I've made them live close to Central Command and thus Maes sometimes finds himself just walking to work instead of driving somedays. This day just happened to be one of them.**

 **2= Don't worry I'm not skipping Kaldur's 'entrance' to Amestris. I have something planned.**

 **3= You know those rectangular-looking marks after a transmutation? Yeah. Transmutation marks.**

 **4= It is a computer so I'd imagine it has some sort of camera installed.**

 **5= Maes may be a goofy and kind man but he's still a soldier. He won't hesitate to put Kaldur(or anyone) in the ground should he(they) give him reason to.**

 **Also, you guys know how in the first episode of Brotherhood, the Elrics stay with the Hughes' in their guest bedroom? That's still happening but the Hughes' now have two guest rooms! You'll see why as the story progresses..**

 **Special thanks to Canary512, cabbagecat2, gemm1mt, DreamsAreMagical, PINATA POWAH, RandomPerson2919, and Daniel Berroa for your favorites and follows!**

 **Also, Special thanks to gemm1mt,** **Guest, and RandomPerson2919 for your reviews! I was so happy when I read them!**

 **'Till next time! Let's hope it's soon!**


	4. Chapter 3: Headaches

Kaldur'ahm's entire being ached.

As Aquaman's protege, Kaldur was accustomed to pain. But, he had never felt anything like this. Yet, even with his pain riddled mind, Kaldur managed to process two things. Firstly, he was lying on a soft surface - nothing like the stone cold concrete of the base. Secondly, he wasn't alone.

He briefly contemplated keeping the facade of being asleep, but never got the chance to decide.

"Had a nice nap?"

The voice was distinctly male and warm, despite the edge on it. It was also new, meaning he was likely not in the presence of his Team, or, even the Justice League.

Kaldur opened his eyes, ignoring the pain caused by the light in the room, and sat up. Or, at least tried to. He felt a yanking sensation on his left arm, prompting his gaze. From his left wrist dangled a metal chain that was attached to the bed frame under him. On his left arm, a bandage was wrapped tightly around it.

 _'Handcuffs.'_ Kaldur yanked again, experimentally, and was quite sure that, if he needed to, he could break the restraints. The metal seemed fairly standard and, as far as he could tell, there was no magic leaking from it either.

Kaldur heard shuffling to his right, taking his attention away from his handcuffed wrist. Looking over, revealed an adult, bespectacled man. He was wearing a long sleeved white button up paired with odd yet formal navy trousers, and what seemed to be combat boots. On a nearby chair lay a matching navy military coat. Kaldur took notice of the badges and the small golden stars on the shoulder pads; although he wasn't knowledgable of human military ranks, he had a suspicion that the man standing before him was of high ranking position. Kaldur didn't fail to notice the defensive stance the man was in, nor how his hand didn't sway where it hovered above the holster around his waist.

The man shuffled, never letting his eyes stray from Kaldur, his stare cold and calculated. Clearing his throat, which was quite dry, Kaldur said "Hello."

The military man blinked before responding with "Hi." An agonizing moment of silence transpired between them as they inspected each other. Finally, the soldier broke his defensive stance taking a few steps closer to the bed; even so he never let his hand fall from it's position. Green eyes looked down at Kaldur before the man spoke again.

"How are you? That was a pretty nasty gash you got on your arm. I'm no medic, but I managed it to get it bandaged and cleaned."

Kaldur glanced down at his left arm, before looking back up at the man.

"I feel fine. Thank you for your hospitality. Although, I do question why you would offer such care."

Black eyebrows raised ever so slightly. "You were hurt, so I helped you. There's not much else to it, kid. Still, it would be nice to know your name. So, what is it?"

 ** _(SwitchPOVs)__**

Maes had to admit, he was fairly surprised. The kid was perceptive, no doubt. From the moment he regained conciousness, the boy had observed everything he saw with care, ranging from the handcuffs to even Maes himself.

Hughes' fingers twitched slightly as he awaited an answer from the teen. He had opted for a more friendly and casual interrogation method. Although young, the kid had muscle and he doubted that being hostile would really ellicit responses anyway. At least, not the kind that he wanted.

Matching his gaze with the silver-blue eyed one of his 'guest', Maes was about to speak again when the kid beat him to it.

"Kaldur'ahm."

Maes' eyebrows raised higher. _'Odd name.'_ Curving his lips upwards slightly, Hughes swiftly introduced himself in kind.

"Maes Hughes."

Kaldur'ahm glanced at his coat that still resided on the chair, before looking up at him again. "You are a soldier."

Maes' fingers twitched again. "That I am." He let a few seconds pass, in which he contemplated whether or not to give his rank. Clearing his throat, Maes continued. "Lieutanent Colonel Maes Hughes of the Amestrian Military."

"Amestrian?" Kaldur'ahms eyebrows were furrowed in slight confusion. Maes blinked. "Yes. Amestrian as in the country of Amestris. The country we're currently in right now."

 ** _(SwitchPOVs)__**

 _'Amestris?'_

Kaldur was confused. Even with his limited knowledge of the surface world, he had never heard of a country called Amestris. Regardless, Kaldur was pretty sure yesterday he was in America.

Suddenly, he was reminded of yesterday's events. The mission. His Team. The base. All of it.

 _The rock_

He had found it. But just as he was going to complete the mission, he was flung into a white, empty void.

Kaldur let out a hiss of pain as his head erupted in hot pain. He remembered seeing a large, tall gate enscripted in magical scriptings, and yet at the center of it was a circle filled with strange symbols he couldn't name.

Remembering was hurting him. Kaldur desperately tried to stop the flurry of images, of memories, but it was like someone had broke a dam in his mind.

Kaldur gasped in pain as his upper body collapsed onto the bed. He only vaguely registered hearing the man's- Maes'- surprised outburst. His head felt like it was splitting in two.

And then, bursting through the haze of pain came a voice. _No._ Not just one. _Thousands._ All of them uttering the same thing at the same time.

 _"It's a pity you can't pay your toll right now. Nevertheless, enjoy your stay. I'll be waiting Fish Boy."_

And with that Kaldur knew no more.

 ** _(Switch POVs)__**

Maes let out a shaky breath. He gently let Kaldur'ahm's head hit the pillow, before he stood up. Just minutes before the kid had been fine, and now he was unconcious. Again.

 _'Not how I planned this to go.'_

Maes sighed heavily, before walking over to the left side of the bed. Whatever had caused Kaldur'ahm so much pain, had also caused the boy to jerk quite violently. During of which, Maes heard sounds that strikingly resembled wood spilntering.

Kneeling, Hughes frowned. There were tiny shards of wood littering the floor; and dangling above said floor was a handcuff. A newly freed handcuff.

Typically, one should seek backup at this point. But, seeing as how the only soldier he could trust with this is currently on a train, Maes is going to have to improvise.

And, improvise he will.

 **Oof, I'm sorry guys. These past few weeks have been hard on me and relentless. I just couldn't find the time to update. Fortunately, my schedule will be a lot more free and, as such, I'll be able to update a lot more. I should have the next chapter up by Wednesday. Possibly even sooner. I'll also be trying to write more in each chapter, since I realize my chapter's are pretty small. Again, I am really sorry.**

 **I don't really have notes for this chapter, however there are two things I want to clarify.**

 **Firstly, I completely forgot about Kaldur's water bearers. I don't know how, considering the fact that they are his _signature_ weapon and pretty hard to miss. However, instead of simply writing them in now I have a new idea. You could say I've been...inspired :).**

 **Secondly, Kaldur did pass through the Gate, _but_ he did not pay a toll. There is a reason why but that's for later. Also, he does have a Gate but instead of being primarily inscribed with Alchemy, it's inscribed with magic instead. Since, ya know, that's what he practices. The large circle in the center wasn't a magic circle though...;)**

 **Also, I know we didn't get to see YJ this chapter but don't worry we'll get back to them soon!**

 **A big special Thank You! to everyone who has followed, favorited, and left a review. It means a lot to me you guys! Also, Thank You! for being patient with me!**

 **Well, until next time!**


	5. Chapter 4: Thoughts

It was no surprise that Maes Hughes was a bit of a nerd. After all, he was the head of the Investigation Department.

As a child, Maes would often spend hours studying. He would jump from subject to subject, taking notes every now and then when he found something interesting. Yet, even with the constant shift of material, one subject always seemed to stand out to him: Geography.

Most of the things he read about were, in some way, linked to the geography of the world; ranging from a mere influence to a direct attribution.

As such, Maes had several copies of the world map, copies that he was sifting through now. Even with the lack of verbal responses from the kid, Maes still had something to work of off. That something being the kid's reactions.

Namely, Kaldur'ahm's reaction to Amestris.

His name was already a dead giveaway that he wasn't native to Amestris. Some would reach that conclusion by his appearance alone, but Maes learned a long time ago that appearances could be decieving; seeing how his best friend looks like a Xing native, and yet when Maes gave him Xingnese text all he got from Roy was a blink of the eyes and a confused blank stare.

Names, however, were another matter entirely. And, 'Kaldur'ahm' was a name he had never heard of, Amestrian or otherwise.

Pulling out a blank map of Amestris, as well as a morning newspaper featuring Isaac the Freezer, Maes layed them out on the coffee table in front of him. Running his hands through his hair, Hughes glanced up at the door that led to where the kid was. He'd only been out here for ten minutes and he was already feeling a little paranoid about leaving him unattended. Still, Maes had a feeling that Kaldur'ahm would stay unconcious for a while; whether that was good or bad thing, Maes couldn't say.

Hughes looked over the papers in front of him, thinking back on how confused Kaldur'ahm had been at the mention of Amestris. Him being a foreigner aside, the reaction had still been very strange. Most people knew of Amestris, whether they were from there or not. His confusion, coupled with the random attack, pointed Maes to the conclusion that the kid was suffering from some form of minor amnesia. This wasn't a concrete conclusion, given the lack of information he had, but it would have to do. If Kaldur'ahm did have a minor bout of amnesia, then the map and newspaper Maes compiled should be enough to kickstart his memory. And that's all Maes had, at the moment, to work with.

Leaning back onto the plush comfort of his chair, Hughes closed his eyes. Today and tomorrow were his designated rest days, and while he wanted to help the boy, in addition to solving the mystery surrounding him, he also missed his wife and daughter. Normally, he would spend these days with them, but, seeing as how he had a new charge to look after, Maes couldn't. Before the kid woke up, Maes had told Gracia to take their daughter to the park; he didn't want the stranger close to his family. Not until, he had enough information.

Opening his eyes, Maes straightened and piled the newspaper with the map before standing; he had already wasted enough time. Tucking the papers under his arm, Maes went to the kitchen to pour a glass of water. Kaldur'ahm hadn't had anything to drink since yesterday, as far Maes knew, and, seeing how he has gills, water seemed kind of important.

Glass of water in hand, Maes headed for the guest bedroom.

( ** _Switch POVs)__**

The Team stared in apalled astonishment.

Blood was _everywhere._ From the walls to the ceiling, even the floor, had some amount of dried up blood staining the concrete surface.

A large, intricate circle was etched onto the floor, stale blood covering some of the symbols, with a large 'x-shaped' crack through the middle.

The only thing that made the scene more grisly was the pair of waterbearers to the side of the pedestal in the very back of the room. **1**

M'gann's choked gasp echoed through the small room, as her hands flew up to cover her mouth. Superboy was stock still, eyes wide.

Robin's face was set in a grim expression, with Kid Flash beside him looking sick.

The first one to move was Artemis, who took slow steps around the circle towards the abandoned water bearers, eyes prickling with unshed tears. She kneeled before them and reached for them, cradling the machinery to her chest as she stood up.

 _'We need to find him.'_ **2**

Robin wordlessly nodded in agreement, stepping towards the circle as he did so. Crouching, he silently started taking pictures of the oddity and of the room, from different angles.

Everyone of them started to search the room, looking for clues that would hopefully lead them to their missing teammate; their missing _friend_.

The same question resonated through all their minds, heard and thought by the five present.

 _'How could we have been so stupid?'_

 ** _(Switch POVs)__**

Leaning his head against the window, Roy sighed.

He was headed to Central Command and, because of a slight delay with the train, would arrive in three days, instead of the anticipated two.

Truth be told, the Colonel wasn't overjoyed at the notice he was given, especially since Fullmetal had also been required to come; he had a few choice words to say to him after Roy told him of the summon. It really wasn't Roy's fault that the Füher would send a notice in at the same time that Mustang gave a mission. **3**

"Sir? I'm back with your coffee."

"Oh. Thank you, Lieutanent." Roy flashed an easy smile at his trusted Lieutanent as she sat down across from him. He truly did enjoy her company.

Taking his cup from her hands, Roy commented, "I don't suppose I'm excused from paperwork while on our little excursion, am I?"

"Of course not, sir." Hawkeye easily repiled. "And I would not advise you to slack off either, Colonel."

Chuckling softly, Roy turned his gaze to the window, as his thoughts drifted to his best friend. Mustang knew that the minute he sees Maes, he's going to be bombarded with pictures and stories of his family.

 _'Still,'_ Mustang thought, _'anything's better_ _than being on this godforsaken train.'_

 **Oof. Angst.**

 **We're finally getting to more of the 'meat' of the story. And we also got to see a little snippet of the Colonel and Lieutanent. Here's the update as promised, albeit a little late.**

 **1= The water bearers have been written in! Just not with Kal...**

 **2= The Team was expecting something, but nothing as bad as what they saw.**

 **3= In the first episode, King Bradley doesn't tell Roy about Isaac until he gets to Central. Similarly, Ed and Al don't get debriefed until after they run into Isaac. So, at this point, Roy doesn't know why he's being summoned to Central, he just knows that the Füher summoned him and his team, including the Elric brothers.**

 **Reviews are very much appreciated, as are favs/follows!**

 **Until, next time!**


	6. Chapter 5: Introductions

Kaldur opened his eyes, only to see... nothing.

He looked around his surroundings hesitantly, unnerved by the silence and emptiness permeating around him. The only thing he was able to see was a vast, endless space of white. Deeply confused, and a little worried, Kaldur tentatively took a step forward.

" _Well, if isn't Fish Boy. Nice to see you again."_

Startled, Kaldur'ahm turned around. Where there once was nothing, now stood a large stone gate. Magic rituals and spells covered every inch of the gate's doors, ranging from a simple water manipulation spell to complex inscriptions that Kaldur had never seen before. Which wasn't all that surprising, considering he only studied extensively for a year before taking the role of Aquaman's protege. In the center was an intricate circle, not unlike the others, and it would've gotten lost in the sea of magic literature, had it not been for the strange figure standing in front of it, who quickly captured his attention.

Whoever... whatever it was, had pearlescent white skin, almost melting into the background, had it not been for the dark gray mass behind it. It had a humanoid shape, yet its face was completely devoid of any facial features, except for one: a large grinning mouth.

 _"Surprised?"_

Kaldur's breath hitched. That voice. Or rather, _those_ _voices_ were eerily familiar.

 ** _"It's a pity you can't pay your toll right now. Nevertheless, enjoy your stay. I'll be waiting Fish Boy."_**

His eyes widened. "You're..."

"Yes." He could've sworn its grin got bigger. "Welcome back, Kaldur'ahm."

 ** _(Switch POVs)__**

Something had clearly gone wrong with the mission.

Batman watched as the Team disembarked the Bio-Ship. Everyone, but one.

"Where is Aqualad?"

Every member before him fidgeted at the question, but Robin; who instead, looked up at him, meeting his eyes. Even through the mask, Bruce could see the solemn regret in his eyes.

All of a sudden, Batman was all too aware of the water bearers nestled in Artemis' arms.

Eyes narrowing at the sight, his gaze hardened, boring a hole through his protege.

"Explain."

He watched as Robin straightened, took a deep breath, and began.

 ** _(Switch POVs)__**

"Who are you?"

The grin seemed even more off-putting.

 _"I am called by many names. I am the World, I am the Universe, I am God, I am Truth, I am All, I am One. And I am also... you."_

Kaldur stared at the finger that pointed towards him.

 _"I am the bearer of your Gate, of everyone's Gate. I am your Truth."_

Kaldur'ahm swallowed thickly. "What is this place?"

The finger turned into a blinding white hand that gestured to the area around them.

 _"This is my realm. Where I keep the Truth safe. Normally, when people come knocking on the door, I am the one to show them the Truth. At a price."_

"Price?" He had to force those words out of his suddenly dry throat.

 _"Everything in this world is governed by the Law of Equivalent Exchange. Humankind cannot give anything, without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. Anyone who passes through their Gate, must give a toll to do so."_

Kaldur closed his eyes. So, that was it, then.

"What will you be taking from me? I assume that is the only reason you are answering my questions."

Much to his surprise, 'Truth' snickered. _"You're an astute one. Fortunately for you, you don't need to pay your toll. Yet."_

 ** _"It's a pity you can't pay your toll right now."_**

Puzzled, Kaldur opened his mouth to say something, but was quickly interrupted by the 'Gate'- _his_ _Gate -_ cracking open. He watched, stupefied, as a giant eye opened, causing him to stumble back. However, it seemed that the eye itself, provoked another odd occurrence; long, black tendrils shot out at Kaldur, wrapping themselves around his body with ease.

Alarmed, he fought against the newfound restraints to no avail. Soon enough, he was completely bound, with only his mouth being spared.

Suddenly, Kaldur felt something pull his body forward. Looking down, he could see that his 'chains' were the cause: they were pulling him straight towards the Gate.

Grunting, Kaldur shot a terrified and hateful look at the relaxed figure by the doorway. The doorway that was looking closer by the second.

Truth was unfazed, its grin still plastered on its 'face.'

 _"I stand by what I said before. You needn't pay your toll right now, you may never have to. You are not from this world, and unlike the others I meet, are not one of the fools who dare play God. However, if you dare to dig too deep, and I have no doubt you will, then I look forward to meeting you again, Fish Boy."_

By the time Truth had stopped talking, Kaldur was already inside of the Gate. As Kaldur made one last effort to free himself, the Gate slammed shut.

His journey didn't stop there. Hot white pain spread throughout his body, nearly making him cry out. Forcing himself to look down, Kaldur'ahm was shocked to see little flakes of his skin tear away from him. _He was being taken apart._

Just as quickly as that revelation was made, his head erupted in pain, synching with the agony already coursing through his body. Except, it kept intensifying.

Kaldur snapped his head upward, where little hands immediately locked it in place. His eyes widened as information began cramming itself into his mind. He learned spells that should've taken years to master, rituals that not even the most competent Atlanteans know. All of the magic literature that he would have never even fathomed existing made his mind its new home. And all of this was happening _t_ _oo_ _fast_.

Kaldur let out a heart wrenching scream, trying desperately to close his eyes, to stop the neverending flow of information. He came to the startling realisation that he couldn't.

Just as he was certain that he would die in this abyss, he noticed a fast approaching light. Turning his gaze towards it, he reached out, hoping it would be the key to stopping everything that was happening. As soon as he made contact with it, the world turned black.

 ** _(Switch POVs)__**

Kaldur gasped as his eyes flew open.

He took long staggering breaths, while he forced his beating heart to calm down.

What had just happened? All he could remember was a stark white void, an odd, equally white, creature, and a Gate with a large eye inside.

But, beyond that, Kaldur was drawing blanks.

"Hey, kid. You alright?"

Kaldur jumped as he felt someone touch his shoulder- when had he gotten in an upright position? He was ready to act in self defense, he could already feel the familiar, yet faint, flow of his power. That is, until he saw who the owner of the hand was.

"You're... Maes Hughes, correct..?"

Kaldur watched as the bespectacled man nodded, an amused smile on his lips. The tension left his body once he realized he wasn't in immediate danger. Had Maes truly wanted to harm him, he would have done so while he was unconcious.

He was quickly broken from his musings when a glass of water was presented to him. He looked up at Maes with a questioning expression.

The man shrugged. "Thought you might want it."

Abruptly, Kaldur was aware of how parched his throat was. Almost snatching the offered glass out of Maes' hand, Kaldur quickly downed the water in two gulps. Lowering the glass, he noticed Maes' amusement grow more on his face, causing Kaldur to feel slightly embarrassed.

Clearing his, admittedly still dry, throat, Kaldur gave the glass back to Maes. "May I have another?"

"Sure, as long as you don't try anything funny."

Maes said it in a light tone, but Kaldur understood the message clearly.

As he watched Maes stand and open the door, he noticed that there was light out through the window. _'It must be a new day then.'_ Kaldur frowned. Just how long was he out? He turned his gaze to the nightstand beside the bed. Two documents lay on the surface in a neat pile and from what he could see the top piece was a map of some sort, while the second seemed to be a newspaper.

Kaldur contemplated whether or not he should grab them, unsure if Maes would be happy if he did. He didn't know anything about where he was, and angering the only person who might be able to help him didn't seem like a bright idea.

"You can go ahead and grab them if you want. Staring isn't gonna do much anyway."

Kaldur blinked as he redirected his gaze to the doorway, where Maes was standing with a refilled, albeit larger, glass of water.

Kaldur remained mute as Maes walked towards his seat beside the bed.

"You sure you're alright, kid?"

Kaldur'ahm made a small noncommital sound as he watched Hughes sit down. Belatedly, Kaldur realised he probably should have responded better, but, quite frankly, he was _tired_. His body was sore, his head had a persistent ache from seemingly no cause, and he _still_ had no idea where he was.

Once Maes offered the glass, Kaldur wordlessly accepted it from him. A bout of awkward silence followed thereafter. Had he been more alert, Kaldur would have probably been assaulting the man with questions. Right now, though, all he could really do was drink the water quietly.

A few more seconds passed until Kaldur heard the shuffling of paper. Glancing over to the side of the bed, he saw as Maes separated the map from the papers below it and passed it over to him.

"I don't know if you remember, but before you... passed out earlier we were talking. Amestris came up and you looked genuinely confused. I thought maybe a map could help jog your memory."

Looking the map over, Kaldur felt the smallest pools of dread. Although he was Atlantean, and thus never really cared for Earth's land geography, nothing in this map seemed even remotely familiar. It was a simple map, detailing the major cities and towns of 'Amestris,' as well as showcasing some areas outside of it: 'Drachma,' 'Creta,' 'Aerugo,' and the 'Eastern Desert.'

And he recognized none of it.

 ** _' You are not from this world...'_**

 _Oh._ _Oh no._ Kaldur inwardly groaned. Alternate worlds were not a foreign concept to him. Being in the superhero business taught him to expect the unexpected. But, it still came as a nasty surprise.

"What part of.. Amestris are we located in?"

"Central City. Some people would say the heart of Amestris."

"Central City.." Kaldur mumbled as he traced a finger lightly over the center of the map.

Taking a deep breath in, Kaldur looked over at Hughes, who was looking at him with a prompting expression.

 _'Should I...?'_ Biting the inside of his cheeks slightly, Kaldur pondered over his dilemma. Should he confide in Maes at the risk of being seen as delusional? Could he even trust this man? On one hand, Maes had offered generous hospitality to him, when he had no reason to. He's been amiable and, as far as Kaldur can tell, isn't planning on torturing or killing him. Or both.

Taking the possibility, the _high_ possibility, that Kaldur was stuck in another world, Maes could become an ally to him.

He could also declare him as insane and refer him to the authorities, too.

But, that just might be a risk Kaldur has to take.

Steadying himself, Kaldur redirected his gaze to Maes, who had been observing him in patient silence.

Swallowing thickly, Kaldur opened his mouth, his decision resolute in his mind.

"I am afraid none of this looks familiar."

He watched as Maes blinked, his eyebrows beginning to knit in concern.

Pushing himself to continue, Kaldur said, "Since you have properly introduced yourself, I will do the same. My name is Kaldur'ahm, resident of Atlantis and America."

Kaldur was careful to omit any extra information about his Team or the League. Although Kaldur may need the assistance of Maes, that does not mean he has to give him the whole truth. Just the minimum.

Maes' facial expression quickly changed from concern to confusion, as he processed the words Kaldur just spoke.

"I... don't think I've ever heard of those countries.."

"That is because they do not exist here."

There. He said it.

Half-expecting an outburst of bafflement or disbelief, Kaldur was surprised when that wasn't what he heard.

"What do you mean?"

The voice that was warm now grew cold.

A ball of nervousness spawned inside of his stomach.

"I... I mean to say that I was... misplaced, for a lack of better term. The world you know is not the world I know."

 ** _(Switch POVs)__**

Maes' eye twitched.

A different world. This boy was supposedly from a _different_ world.

Maes was a man of research. He was a realist. He saw things for how they were presented, not for how they were told.

Still...

He scrutinized the boy for a moment. Pushing his inner skeptic away, he let the odd possibility that, what the kid was saying, was true surface. It would explain him not recognizing the map, for starters; since his theory of Kaldur being an amnesiac was debunked the minute that Maes realised he still had no clue about Amestris, or anything else surrounding it, even after viewing the map.

 _'Let's entertain the idea for a bit.'_

Inhaling, Maes glanced at Kaldur's... abnormalities, before addressing him.

"If we're playing 20 questions, mind if I ask why you have gills?"

If he hadn't been so preoccupied with the current conversation, Maes might have smiled in amusement at how Kaldur seemed to jump at the question. He watched as the boy looked over at his gills, in supposed deep thought.

Maes frowned.

"I want the truth Kaldur."

 _'I need to know the truth.'_

As he waited in patient impatience, Hughes noticed how his gills seemed to flutter up and down, almost frantically.

 _'He's nervous.'_

The father in him wanted to reassure the teen that it was okay to tell him, but Maes knew he couldn't. And so, he waited.

"... As I said before, I am from Atlantis. It is an underwater city, hidden from the surface. The citizens of Atlantis are called Atlanteans. I am an Atlantean."

"You were born that way?"

"Yes."

Maes let a small sigh of relief escape his lips. If he were to believe Kaldur's story, that means he wasn't a chimera. Or, at least, he wasn't a victim to being transmuted.

"I know it is hard to believe. I would not fault you for thinking that I am insane. However, I still ask for your help. I am ignorant of my surroundings and do not know any detail of your country. I ask for your assistance."

And now the kid was bowing. Well, the best that he could, considering he was sitting on the bed. His right fist lay over his heart.

Maes squirmed slightly in his seat. He barely knew the kid, but at the same time the kid was right. Disregarding the 'other world' argument, the kid had no idea where he was right now and probably wouldn't last an hour without getting someone's attention, due to his appearance.

Also, Maes was pretty sure Kaldur qualified as an illegal immigrant.

Tossing the idea around in his head for a little longer, Maes finally reached a conclusion.

He swiftly extended his hand out to Kaldur'ahm.

"I'm not totally sold on the idea that you're from another world, but I'm also not keen to throw you out and see you struggle here. So, I'll help you. On certain conditions."

Maes waited until Kaldur took his offered hand to continue.

Hughes' tone darkened.

"I have a wife and daughter and if you, in any way, shape, or form, hurt them or put them in harm's way, I _will_ kill you."

Maes never broke eye contact with him, driving his message across with no chance of misinterpretation. Morality be damned, no one was going to hurt Gracia or Elyssia.

For his favor, the kid never turned his eyes away from Maes,' his expression serious.

"You have my word."

Satisfied, Hughes let some of the seriousness slip off of him.

"Since you are going to be living under my roof, I expect you to follow my rules. We'll talk about those later though. Oh, and we also have to create a background portfolio on you, just in case."

"Of course."

Maes let go of Kaldur's hand, once their agreement was sealed.

He made to stand up from his chair, when he saw Kaldur was attempting to do the same from the bed.

"Whoa! What do you think you're doing, Kaldur?"

Kaldur looked at him confused.

"I was under the impression we were going to further discuss my arrangements."

"We are, but not right now. You're going to get some sleep. I doubt what happened recently counts as a good night's rest."

The kid looked about ready to protest, before Maes swiftly stopped him.

"Ah, ah, ah. My house, my rules. Remember?"

Maes watched in slight mirth as Kaldur exasperatedly resigned himself, like the teen he was. More toned down than the typical teenager, but still teen-esque.

"We'll talk more once you wake up. For now, just get some rest."

Just as Maes was about to close the door, he was stopped by a quiet voice.

"Thank you, Maes Hughes."

He smiled.

"You're welcome, Kaldur'ahm."

And with that, he shut the door.

 **Holy. Shit. I'm not dead.**

 **Also, I think this is the longest and most exhausting chapter I've ever written. Have mercy on my poor battered soul because I don't have a beta reader. It's just little ol' me.**

 **I know there was a lot in this chapter, but I hope it wasn't too confusing.**

 **By the way, writing long dialogue interactions is going to be the death of me.**

 **Anyway, I'm _really_** **sorry for not updating for nearly half a year. My life literally fell apart before my eyes and... it just wasn't a fun time. It's still not really a fun time, to be honest. Regardless, I promise I won't take another half of a year to update again. Fingers crossed.**

 **Before I move on to the chapter itself, I want to give a big _Thank You!!_ to everyone who has favorited, followed, or left a review!! This means the world to me, especially right now. You guys actually were the reason I pulled myself out of my depression and made me interested in this story of mine again. So, _Thank You!!!_**

 **Now, onto the chapter itself.**

 **There isn't a whole lot to tell this time except that Truth as a character is pretty hard to write, so I apologize if he doesn't seem all that 'Truth'-like.**

 **I also debated a lot on how to start this chapter and progress the story. I can tell you that the first draft did _not_ begin with Kaldur at Truth's Gate.**

 **Regarding future chapters: There is going to be a lot of focus on the Kaldur-Hughes' family dynamic for the next two-three chapters. Just a heads up. We might see snippets of the Team during them, but they don't really come into play until later.**

 **Writing Kaldur's adjustments to the new world around him and vice versa is taking up most of my attention...oof.**

 **The handcuffs were removed by Hughes(there was no use in keeping them on), when he reentered the room, while Kal was unconscious. AKA before the beginning of this chap.**

 **Honestly, I think that's it. Like I said before, I'm going to update much more frequently, but it's not gonna be on regular schedule just yet. Anyhow, feel free to Follow, Favorite, and Review!!**

 **P.S. Parental!Hughes is some good shit.**


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